Troops say bomb-kit Taliban suspect went free

Troops say bomb-kit Taliban suspect went free

Soldiers claim a Taliban suspect they caught with a bomb-making kit was freed

They say that, when the man was seized by frontline servicemen in Afghanistan, he had enough gear to construct three IEDs – the roadside bombs that have claimed scores of British troops’ lives.

Swab tests showed traces of high explosive on his hands, the soldiers allege.

But military police freed him, saying there was not enough evidence to detain him.

The soldiers were further enraged when the man later returned, demanded cash compensation and was paid an undisclosed sum.

One serviceman stormed: “Everyone is absolutely livid about this. The job is hard enough against the Taliban without us being betrayed by our own.

“The compo added insult to injury. It will go back into the hands of the terrorists to buy more IEDs to kill our lads.”

He went on: “It’s as if we are killing our own by not being tough enough to stand up to our enemy.

“We are behaving like spineless idiots against a brutal and vicious enemy which is blowing our lads to pieces every time they go out on foot patrol. We are seeing lads being blown to smithereens by the IEDs and then we free an obvious suspect and give him some money.

“The evidence would have been enough to put away IRA bombers in the past.”

The source added: “The Taliban must be laughing at its stupid enemy. It is making us all sick. This is the ultimate betrayal.”

UK forces have paid out more than £100,000 compensation to Afghans over civilian deaths. And troops have been ordered to become more Afghan-friendly to “win the hearts and minds” of the people.

Our source claimed troops had been refused permission to search the suspect’s home after seizing him at Nad-e-Ali, in Helmand in February.

A Ministry of Defence spokesman insisted that countering IEDs was the “highest priority”.

The spokesman said: “Area claims officers pay compensation where there would be a legal liability to do so.

“In circumstances where somebody was detained and subsequently released, if they had suffered damage to property or injury to their person, the area claims office in Lashkar Gah would consider whether or not to make a payment of compensation."